Submarine boat or other vessel.



A. H. ATTBRIDGE.

SUBMARINE BOAT OR OTHER VESSEL.

APPLICATION rum) SEPT.11, 1906.

96. 9 1 28. v Patented- 1mg, 30, "lg-1 3.

Figl

UNITED smtrnsrarar OFFICE ANDREW HILLIARID ATTERIDGE, 0FLONDQN,'ENG-LAND.

SUBMARINE BOAT OR OTHER VESSEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,.ANDREW HILLIARD :AQITERIDGE, a subject of the KingofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at 26 Bath road, Bedford Park,London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements SpeciallyThough Not Exclusively Applicable to Submarine Boats or other Vessels,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements specially, though not exclusively,applicable to submarine boats or other vessels and the invention hasespecial reference to ballast tanks for submarine boats by means ofwhich ready adjustment can be obtained and this part of my improvementis specially, though not exclusively, applicable to submarine boats ofthe no reserved buoyancy type.

Another part of my invention relates to improvements in apparatus forventilating submarine boats and for releasing air from the ballasttanks; and by its means the air 'in the boats may be maintained purewhen they are running awash.

I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings,wherein;

Figure I is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the ballast tankwith my improvements mounted thereon. Fig. II is an elevation of theupper end of the main pipe and flare of the ventilating apparatus. Fig.III is an elevation and part section of the main pipe and its attachedparts. Figs. IV and V are detail views, hereinafter referred to.

When the submarine boat is immersed so that the surface of the sea isflush with a given datum line on tho conning tower, the main tank shouldbe quite full, so that the water therein shall form a solid block, so tospeak, and have no free or movable water surface. The precise amount ofwater to so fill the main tank, and at the same time to keep the boatimmersed to the proper depth, will vary. under certain conditions. It istherefore desirable to provide a ready means of adjustment so that themain tank shall contain the required amount of water without allowingthis to have any free or rolling surface. Toeifect this and so carry myinvention into effect, I afiix to the top of the ballast tank a cylinderor boxl extending downward into the tank 2, the said cylinder or boxbeing openat the botton 3 so that there may be free communicationbetween the inside of the cylinder, under the piston hereinaftermentioned, and the ballast tank Specification of Letters Patent PatentedAug. 30, 1910. Application filed September 11, 1906. Serial No. 334,145.I

air. H IVithin the said cylinder 1 a piston 4 is fitted attached to thebottom 5 of a threaded shaft 6 passing through a fixed threaded bearing7 and having at its upper end a hand wheel 8, or polygonal extremity, orother device, forthe turning-of the said shaft.

"IVhen this piston is moved downward, by

the turning of the said shaft, it presses the water beneath it from thecylinder into the ballast tank; and by moving this piston sufficientlyfar down it may completely fill the ballast tank and prevent any freesurface of water obtaining. 9 is a gland of any convenient kind. Thedotted lines show the piston in its highest position, that is to say atthe top of the cylinder.

If desired a relief valve for the release of air might be fitted to thecylinder or to the ballast tank at any convenient point. In order toadmit the requisite amount of water without leaving any free surfacethereof, water is admitted to the tank until, the boat is sunk to thedatum line. The water cocks are then closed and the piston is screweddown tight, care being taken of course if there be an air release valvein the ballast tank, to close this after any air has been removed. Thepresence of some air beneath the piston and within the cylinder is notof importance. From the upper cover 10 of the ballast tank 2, I take apipe 11, hereinafter termed the main pipe, extending upward through theroof 12 of the submarine boat and bend it over so that its end 13 pointsdownward. Upon this end I place a flare 14 having a perforated plate 15(see Fig. IV) at its opening. This perforated plate not onl has a numberof perforations 16 for the admission of air, but it has also, at itscenter, a larger-opening 17, 'surrounded by an annular flange '18 whichacts as a seating for a light hollow metal ball 19. Above this and wherethe flare joins the end of the main pipe, is another plate 20 (see Fig.III) having a central orifice 21 with a similar flange 22, which alsoacts as a seating for the ball 19 when the latter is pressed upward bythe action ofa wave as hereinafter mentioned.

That part of the main pipe which is between the top 1 of the'ballasttank and the roof I? of the submarine boat is provided with two stopcocks 23, 24, preferably placed one 2 5 immediately over the ballasttank and H i the other 24 imi'nediately under the root of opening 14 bythe boat. At an intermediate point between the two stop cocks is a smallbranch pipe opening upward and capable of being closed in any convenientmanner as for example by tilt stopper 26.- In Fig. lll. I show twobranch pipes 25 but the number may be varied as may be desired.

The action is as follows :Letus assume that the submarine boat isrunning awash, and that the ball. is in its normal position that. is tosay resting in the lower seating 18. The air will pass through the smallperforations 1G in the lower plat e, and will pass around the ballthrough the seating 22 in the upper plate, over the bend, downwardthrough the main pipe, and into the interior ot the suluuarine boatthrough the branch pipe which normally open. Suppose now that a waverises over the outlet of the main pipe. In doing so it; will raise theball 19 against the upper seating 522 and thus close the entrance to themain pipe. Assume however that the action is not sufficiently rapid andthat some water passes the ball. This will do no harm unless sutlieiententers to rise above the bend of the pipe. Even then, however, no harmwill be done as this water will simply run down the pipe 11, past theentrance of the upwardly extending branch pipe 25, and into the ballasttank, where itv can be dealt with in the usual manner.

in the above description itv has been assumed that the upper stop cock2% is open. When it is desired to dive, the stop cock 24 is closed sothat, any admission of water is prevented. When the ballast tank isbeing tilled, the lower stop cock 23 is open and the pipe iii thenserves as an air release device for the ballast tank, any air in thetank escaping into the interior of the boat through the branch pipe 25it the boat is submerged, or out through the flare it the boat is at thesurface. "When the pump is started for bringing the boat. to thesurface, the lower cock 23 is opened, so that the air from the interiorof the boat may pass through the branch pipe down into the upper partofthe ballast tank. \Vhen the natural. ventilation through my apparatus isinsutlicient, a 10- tury tan or the likeoperated by an electromotor maybe attached to the branch pipe 25,

either f0! the purpose of drawing in fresh air or for the purpose ofdriving out impure air.

Of the apparatus which I have just described that part which relates toa bentpipe and ball valve is not broadly novel. Thus bent pipes similarto that shown in Fig. 11 titted with fiares such as 14 and containingball or other gravity valves for the purpose specified are well known.So far as this partof my apparatus is concerned the novelty lies merelyin surroundiui; the an annular tiai'ige 1-? and a. plate 15 containingperforations as it). I believe, however. that it is nov l to connectsuch pipe as 11 with the ballast tank for the purpose specified and toprovide that pipe with the parts illustrated between the upper part ofthe ballasttank and the root 12 ot the boat.

Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1*- 1. A ballast tank closed at the topcontaining within it a cylinder or b itted with a piston, the bottom ofthe said cylinder or box. having an opening by means of which there isfree communication with the interimof the ballast tank, and. the top of?the cylinder or box having an opening communicating. with the external.air, substantially as described and illustrated.

2. In a subniarine boat, the combination of a ballast tank, tr pipeleading from the terior of said ballast tank to the exterior of theupper partof the boat, the said pipe be ing provided with one or morevalved branch-pipes located. within the interior of the boat and adaptedto place such interior in communication with the pipe for ventilation,and a hand-valve located within said. pipe in the interior of the boat.

3. In a subn'iarine boat, a ventilating pipe extending from the interioroi: the ballast tank to the exterior oi? the boat'the' said p e beingprovided at its upper end with means for permitting the inward passageof air but not of \ater and also titted at an intermediate part withmeans for releasing air from the ballast tank into the interior of theboat substantially as set forth.

4. In a submarine boat, the combination of a ballast tank, a ventilatingpipe leading. therefrom to the exterior of the boat and provided withmeans for permitting the in-- ward passage of air but not of water, twoind pendent hand valves for controlling said ventilating pipe, an airrent in said ventilating pipe at a point between the two said valves,whereby said interior air vent may at will be connected with theer'terior air or the air in the ballast tank or both.

5. In ventilating apparatus for submarine boats, the combination of aventilating pipe extending to the exterior of the boatand having itsouter end provided with a perforated plate having a valve-seat upon itsinner side, a second. valve-seat within the end of the pipe, aball-valve cooperating with both said valve-seats and acting tocompletely shut ott' communication when 4 resting upon the inner seatbut permitting commun'eation through said perforations when resting onthe outer seat.

(3. In a submarine boat, the combination of a ballast tank closed atitstop for continl0 of a ballast tank closed at its top for confin ing thewater therein, a con'ipartment in the upper part of said ballast tankprovided with a piston and the bottom of said compartmentcomn'iunicating directly with the interior of said tank, means foroperating said piston when the proper amount of water required forballast is i'n the tank so as to force the water from the compartmentinto the tank in order to entirel fill the latter.

7. In a submarine boat, the combination ing the water therein, acompartmentin the upper part of said ballast tank provided with apistonand the bottom of said con1- partment communicating directly with theinterior of said tank, means for operating said piston when the properamount of Water required for ballast is in the tank so as to force thewater from the compartment into the tank in order to entirely fill thelatter, the said compartment having considerably less cross sectionalarea than the tank.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses. i

ANDREW HILLIARD ATTERIDGE. lVitnesses LEWIS HERBERT RIT'IMAN, H. D.JAMESON.

